Top 3 Reasons Why Women Should Strength Train

For you women looking to get in shape, strength training and lifting weights is always going to provide you with superior benefits than those of running, walking, or doing some other form of long distance, repetitive cardio training. I can think of many different ways why women should strength train, and I have narrowed down the list to my top 3.

Reason #1: Improved Bone, Joint, and Overall Health

Like muscle, your bones are made of living tissue that responds by growing stronger and denser when increased demands are placed on it. By not strength training and placing higher than normal demands on your bones, joints, and skeletal system they get weaker and weaker over time.

Bone and joint strength becomes increasingly important as we age. If you are not taking your bone and joint strength seriously right now then this statistic might change your mind.

Reason #2: To Get Toned

It’s impossible to get toned if you don’t have any muscle. You get the toned look through the presence of muscle and the absence of fat. If you are a“cardio queen” then the only toning you’ll see will be the lines your skeleton will produce as it presses on your skin.

The woman in the picture below is not an avid runner. She lifts weights and does metabolic strength training 3-4 times per week for an hour. She also thinks about what she eats and consumes plenty of protein and veggies on a daily basis.

Reason #3: To Lose Weight

Lifting weights and strength training breaks down your muscle tissue. Your body then has to use energy to repair that broken down tissue. Carbs are one of the first sources it goes to, to get this energy. Once it uses up all the carbs in your system your body will then start using stored energy in the form of fat to repair the muscles.

This muscle rebuilding process burns calories without you even knowing what is going on, and it can last for days after a good strength training workout. Compare this to running where your body stops burning calories as soon as you stop moving.